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It could go two ways - Quartz spoke to a psychology professor from the University of Washington who said that while on the one hand romantic partners could have “a new appreciation for having someone to face a scary future with,” on the other hand this could be the moment you realize you can’t spend forever with this person.

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Increased birth rates -

Research, and the predictable human nature, has suggested that when couples are forced to stay home together, nine months later there’s a boost in births. What else are they supposed to do?

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Increased divorce rates -

Research also shows that when couples are forced to be at home for extended periods of time together, divorce rates tend to rise, like in January after couples spend the holidays together.

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If you’re having problems, don’t stress - Balance is key in any relationship, as marriage researchers confirm, and you need a mix of time spent alone as a couple and with others, as well as separate time for each partner, and your own social circles and activities. In quarantine, that’s a little difficult. But here are some tips.

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Don’t sweat the small stuff - If one of you is taking extra scoops of your limited quarantine hummus, remember that you’ll eventually be out of quarantine and with all the hummus you want, and how embarrassing it would be to remember a fight about who’s eating more hummus.

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Have time alone - Designate some time when each of you goes off to do something alone. Being stuck together doesn’t mean you have to be with them all the time.

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Escape online - Thankfully we’re never really cut off from the world, so embrace the virtual world of connection and dive in to talk to your friends and family. You can even host a virtual dinner party!

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Have some structure -

Designate certain times for quiet, for board games, for music, and whatever else, to help you both be more in sync with each other.

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Find out how you both approach crisis information - Perhaps one of you is constantly bingeing information and gets frustrated when the other person doesn’t want to know every detail. Neither is wrong!

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Embrace the perks -

Cooking at home and eating your meals together is a great way to build upon your bonds and do something that you both can enjoy.

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Learn each other’s ways of coping -

If one prefers to talk out all the risks and logistics, and another is just trying to keep a sense of calm and a daily routine, there’s a lot of room for arguments. Tell each other what you need and why.

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Respect each other’s work -

Many people in quarantine will be working remotely, so make sure you’re both respecting your work hours, finding a schedule that works for you both, and not imposing extra tasks just because that person is home.

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Communicate -

This is the biggest problem in most relationships even outside of quarantine, but now it’s even more important. If something they’re doing is bothering you, tell them and work through it. Don’t let it fester.

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Are you a thermos or a mood ring? -

If you’re a thermos, you can’t really tell the temperature inside from the outside, whereas a mood ring lays it all bare. Explaining this can avoid the “you’re underreacting vs you’re overreacting” argument.

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Accept that you’re both potentially right -

Since this quarantine and coronavirus is new ground, when you have different ideas about strategies and coping styles, you both could be right and you also have no idea who’s right.

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Kids can be a huge added stress -

Make sure you’re both taking equal responsibility for them and keeping them entertained, because quarantine will exacerbate any existing feelings about who’s doing more work.

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Make a financial plan together -

Finances are one of the leading causes of divorce, and as coronavirus hits economies hard, make sure you map out a plan and have some solidarity on the matter.

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Comfort each other -

When you’re both experiencing the same dread about the current situation, it can be easy to forget that you should still comfort each other.

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Avoid the heavy, controversial debates - While you might be looking for things to talk about, avoid the topics you know you’ll disagree on. Being forced to stay in the same home is not the time to spark debate.

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Don’t minimize each other’s feelings - Amy Morin, psychotherapist, mental strength coach, and marriage counselor, advised that in quarantine you should help each other ride the roller-coaster of emotions, and not say “There’s nothing to be worried about.”

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Start a project together - If you have a collective goal, you’re more likely to work better as teammates. Try making a puzzle, crafting or designing something, or baking.

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Find out your love language - When you are stuck in this lockdown, it’s a great time to sit down and find out what your love language is—what your preferred methods of giving and receiving love are.

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Discover new coping methods together -

While you won’t have access to many of your previous coping methods, like going for a walk, you can discover new forms, either together or independently, like breathing exercises, yoga, drawing, listening to music, reading a book, or just pacing around the room!

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Focus on being kind -

It’s easy to be irritable and snarky, and even if you can’t avoid it, at least learn to apologize. There are few things you can control in quarantine, but your kindness is one of them.

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Don’t let each other get bored -

When you’re bored, you’re much more likely to pick petty fights and get annoyed. Make sure you have cards and distractions around that can act like a pacifier.

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Get your chores done together -

Chores are another thing couples fight about, especially when there’s a long to-do list of them. Declutter and clean together, and post-quarantine you will be happy you did.

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Accept that not all negative feelings are couple-related -

With the stress of a potentially life-threatening illness, and being cooped up for days with no definite end, there’s a lot of anger, frustration, sadness, and anxiety.

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View this as an opportunity -

Remember a time when you would’ve loved to be locked in a room with this person? This might not be the most romantic of circumstances, but go into it with the same goals of getting to know the person on a deeper level.

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Remind yourself of the story down the road -

One of the best ways to get through a stressful situation is to imagine talking about it in a year, or even five, as you’ll look at your time now with a different perspective and you’ll make the story better.

See also: Fun things to do when you're stuck at home

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